:00:00. > :00:00.all from us. Now we join our news teams where
:00:07. > :00:53.The parents of a Jersey teenager who died at the weekend have issued a
:00:54. > :00:57.stark warning about so`called legal highs, which they believe had a huge
:00:58. > :01:00.impact on his mental state. 16`year`old Max Blandin's death was
:01:01. > :01:03.confirmed this weekend. It's believed he was using the drugs
:01:04. > :01:08.which aren't prohibited by drugs laws.
:01:09. > :01:14.Max's heart was bigger than he was. He touched everyone he met, he had a
:01:15. > :01:17.real charm and a fantastic smile. The words of this teenager's
:01:18. > :01:21.parents, less than a week after his death was confirmed. Max was a keen
:01:22. > :01:26.skateboarder, and we've been told was experimenting with so`called
:01:27. > :01:29.legal highs. Now, his mum and dad want to warn others. Sharon and Ian
:01:30. > :01:32.Blandin have taken the brave step of speaking out about their son's
:01:33. > :01:36.death, because they don't want that to happen to anybody else. They said
:01:37. > :01:41.in a statement, please, please don't be the next youngster to leave your
:01:42. > :01:45.family heartbroken. Max did ask for help in the end, but unfortunately
:01:46. > :01:54.left it too late. Please don't make that same mistake. Health providers
:01:55. > :01:58.here echo that call, they have seen a spike in the number of young
:01:59. > :02:03.people using psychoactive substances and think people do not understand
:02:04. > :02:07.the risks. These drugs actually have more of an adverse effect on mental
:02:08. > :02:15.health, such as paranoia, confusion, psychosis and self`harming
:02:16. > :02:20.behaviours. Other drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, have physical
:02:21. > :02:23.effects. Jersey Police hope the courage of Max's parents telling
:02:24. > :02:26.their story will really make young people think about the huge risks
:02:27. > :02:29.these powders pose. You couldn't get a more powerful message at an
:02:30. > :02:37.incredibly difficult time for them, when they're trying to contend with
:02:38. > :02:40.their grief. I'm hoping that those hearing the message from Sharon and
:02:41. > :02:44.Ian today will really take note That message is clear. These are not
:02:45. > :02:47.legal, they are not safe, and if you think you have a problem, the time
:02:48. > :02:51.to ask for help is now. Jersey Police are urging young
:02:52. > :02:54.people or their parents to get in touch if they have any concerns
:02:55. > :02:56.about drugs, or legal highs. A helpline number has been set up
:02:57. > :02:59.01534 610 681. Two Jersey politicians have had
:03:00. > :03:03.their application for bankruptcy refused by the Royal Court. It comes
:03:04. > :03:06.after a libel case bought by Deputies Trevor and Shona Pitman
:03:07. > :03:11.against the Jersey Evening Post and a local estate agents. The Deputies
:03:12. > :03:19.will keep their seats in the States for now.
:03:20. > :03:25.The couple applied for the older form of bankruptcy, as opposed to
:03:26. > :03:29.the more modern version. This meant, if granted, there has could
:03:30. > :03:34.be sold to pay off their debts. This was brought about by the libel case
:03:35. > :03:38.they brought against the Jersey evening Post and the estate agents
:03:39. > :03:45.over a cartoon featuring them. The court heard they owe at least a
:03:46. > :03:48.quarter of ?1 million. Advocates representing the Jersey evening Post
:03:49. > :03:52.and the estate agents said the couple were asking the court to
:03:53. > :03:56.indulge them by releasing them from debt. They said this followed Trevor
:03:57. > :04:04.Pitt and criticising the court, saying it was corrupt. The estate
:04:05. > :04:10.agent lawyer said it would make a mockery of the legal system. It is
:04:11. > :04:15.likely the lawyers will apply to the court for the couple to be made
:04:16. > :04:18.bankrupt. Well, shortly afterwards, Deputies
:04:19. > :04:27.Trevor and Shona Pitman spoke to the media.
:04:28. > :04:29.You know though `` you know the Justice reasons, or the injustice
:04:30. > :04:35.reasons, why we went down this route. You have not reported those
:04:36. > :04:46.reasons, as we feel you should. For that reason, we are giving an
:04:47. > :04:51.exclusive to citizens media, and one of the world's biggest current
:04:52. > :04:55.affairs magazines will be featuring our story, Newsweek. Guernsey Police
:04:56. > :04:57.have named the two men charged in connection with defrauding the
:04:58. > :05:01.States of ?2.6 million. The money was paid out in July 012
:05:02. > :05:03.to someone who successfully posed as the contractor working on the
:05:04. > :05:05.airport runway. 56`year`old John Anthony Woodhatch from Essex and
:05:06. > :05:07.44`year`old Adrian Taylor, from Knightsbridge in London, will appear
:05:08. > :05:16.in court in London on ninth January. The biggest event in the Channel
:05:17. > :05:19.Islands' sporting calendar is edging closer, as athletes prepare for the
:05:20. > :05:24.Commonwealth Games. The global event will be taking place in Glasgow in
:05:25. > :05:27.the summer. But while some of those competing are paid professionals,
:05:28. > :05:32.others have to hold down day jobs to pay their way.
:05:33. > :05:37.While some Commonwealth Games competitors are being paid to train,
:05:38. > :05:42.others have to work a nine to five to keep their dreams alive. Amateur
:05:43. > :05:47.badminton player Gayle Lloyd will be representing Guernsey at the
:05:48. > :05:51.Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. And being based on a tiny island with a
:05:52. > :05:54.small population means she has to regularly travel abroad just to keep
:05:55. > :06:05.up with the pace of international competition. You do not really get
:06:06. > :06:10.as much over here, you get the matches against Jersey, which can
:06:11. > :06:16.keep your competitive edge, because they are very tight, but the
:06:17. > :06:20.standard is going to be better in the UK. With no sponsors, the work
:06:21. > :06:26.Gayle does with her calculator as an actuary helps pay for her
:06:27. > :06:31.competitions on court. It is hard for them, you have got to love your
:06:32. > :06:37.sport and what you are trying to achieve, had your goals and aim at
:06:38. > :06:40.them. In order to keep up their skills, Gayle and her badminton
:06:41. > :06:49.partner Elena Johnson have to frequently travel to the UK, and
:06:50. > :06:53.further afield. To qualify, we have to get a certain national ranking,
:06:54. > :06:58.so we have had to go to loads of tournaments in the UK. It is our
:06:59. > :07:04.weekend is gone. We would leave after work on a Friday and come back
:07:05. > :07:10.on a Sunday evening. I play in Switzerland, that can be leaving on
:07:11. > :07:15.Friday evening, flying from Gatwick on Saturday, and getting back on
:07:16. > :07:20.Sunday. I play for a club in Holland, I have to come back on
:07:21. > :07:24.Monday morning, because there are no flights on Sunday night, so that
:07:25. > :07:29.takes up a lot of time. But it's good fun. It is a good experience.
:07:30. > :07:32.Gayle and Elena made it to the last 16 at the last Commonwealth Games in
:07:33. > :07:36.Delhi. They're hoping that the thousands of pounds they've spent to
:07:37. > :07:45.keep up with the best will help them do even better in Glasgow.
:07:46. > :07:57.Finding testing opponents is not just a problem for athletes in the
:07:58. > :08:07.Channel Islands. We have been to an island in the South Pacific. What
:08:08. > :08:11.are you doing their? Could evening. Like following the Queen's Batson
:08:12. > :08:17.relay as it makes its way around the Commonwealth. On that journey so
:08:18. > :08:23.far, since leaving Buckingham Palace in sober, it has been to 19 places
:08:24. > :08:29.throughout Asia, and now into the Pacific. The reputation has been
:08:30. > :08:32.fantastic, it is wonderful to see people getting involved. Some of the
:08:33. > :08:39.warmest receptions are in some of the most from road communities. From
:08:40. > :08:42.here, through Africa, the Americas, and through Europe for the Opening
:08:43. > :08:48.Ceremony. Coming to Jersey on the 11th of May and Guernsey on the 13th
:08:49. > :08:53.of May. We are looking forward to seeing you and the bat on here. The
:08:54. > :08:58.challenge for people living on those islands must be similar to what our
:08:59. > :09:07.athletes face. How has it been for the competitors their? To be honest,
:09:08. > :09:11.for the athletes here, it is very difficult. Their main sporting
:09:12. > :09:16.facilities are their school grounds. Their best hope at the Commonwealth
:09:17. > :09:20.Games, the weightlifters, and they need to go abroad, to new Caledonia,
:09:21. > :09:27.to train. That is a facility they share with many other islanders I
:09:28. > :09:30.found a similar story in Tonga. The boxers have won all of their
:09:31. > :09:36.Commonwealth medals, the baby to go to New Zealand and elsewhere to
:09:37. > :09:39.train. One solution that I liked was in the cook islands, they have
:09:40. > :09:43.hosted international tournaments to bring the competition to them, but
:09:44. > :09:47.the advantage is they live on a paradise island. You are not doing
:09:48. > :09:50.too badly yourself! And, of course, when the Queen's
:09:51. > :09:54.Baton arrives back in the British Isles, it will do so here in the
:09:55. > :09:57.Channel Islands. It will be in Jersey on 11th May next year and
:09:58. > :10:01.Guernsey on 13th May. More info online at
:10:02. > :10:08.bbc.co.uk/queensbatonrelay. You're watching the BBC in the
:10:09. > :10:11.Channel Islands. Coming up, the weather. Later in Spotlight with
:10:12. > :10:12.Justin and Rebecca, a dentist who normally treats human patients is
:10:13. > :10:24.called into the lions' den. Time for a bit of musical light
:10:25. > :10:26.relief now. All week, we're featuring festive choral
:10:27. > :10:35.performances. Tonight's comes from the Hot Bananas choir in Jersey who
:10:36. > :10:39.are singing Let It Snow. # Oh, the weather outside is frightful.
:10:40. > :10:45.# But the fire is so delightful # And since we've no place to go.
:10:46. > :10:49.# Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
:10:50. > :10:53.# It doesn't show signs of stopping. # And I've bought some corn for
:10:54. > :10:56.popping. # The lights are turned way down
:10:57. > :11:00.low. # Let it snow, let it snow, let it
:11:01. > :11:06.snow! # When we finally kiss goodnight.
:11:07. > :11:09.# How I'll hate going out in the storm.
:11:10. > :11:14.# But if you'll really hold me tight.
:11:15. > :11:19.# All the way home I'll be warm # The fire is slowly dying.
:11:20. > :11:24.# And, my dear, we're still goodbying.
:11:25. > :11:27.# But as long as you love me so # Let it snow, let it snow, let it
:11:28. > :11:47.snow! We have had some hefty showers
:11:48. > :11:53.pushing through today, and we will see some four to night. Then,
:11:54. > :11:57.further showers tomorrow. Some sunny spells, but cloud will build through
:11:58. > :12:02.the day. We have got some fresh to strong winds blowing. We have got a
:12:03. > :12:07.low`pressure approaching from the west, so conditions are going
:12:08. > :12:12.downhill. But the rain will tend to arrive for Friday night. Then, it
:12:13. > :12:18.stays with us for much of Saturday. Pretty wet, and windy. Come Sunday,
:12:19. > :12:22.it is more of a showery affair, but we keep the strong wind. A queue
:12:23. > :12:26.showers running through at the moment, they will continue through
:12:27. > :12:31.the course of the night, but there will be some clear spells, and it
:12:32. > :12:36.will get a bit chilly. It is still pretty blowy. We have got some
:12:37. > :12:40.showers tomorrow from the word go. They could be pretty sharp in
:12:41. > :12:45.places, but they will tend to die out through the morning. We will see
:12:46. > :12:49.more brightness, though cloud tends to thicken up as we had through the
:12:50. > :12:54.afternoon. The wind is picking up all the while. Our coastal
:12:55. > :13:08.waters... The wind will continue to strengthen
:13:09. > :13:16.through the day. It will reduce the visibility at times, with the
:13:17. > :13:24.showers. Some big waves for the surfers tomorrow.
:13:25. > :13:31.Thereafter, looking at the showers at first tomorrow, and the
:13:32. > :13:38.strengthening winds through the day. During the night, heavy rain will
:13:39. > :13:39.last through much of Saturday. Further heavy rain and strong wind
:13:40. > :13:46.for Monday. Finally, someone tonight is
:13:47. > :13:49.?1,038,000 richer tonight. The winning number for this year's
:13:50. > :13:59.Channel Islands Christmas lottery is 1135507.
:14:00. > :14:05.The lottery raises money for local charities, the ticket prices have
:14:06. > :14:09.doubled, and a record number were sold.
:14:10. > :14:12.That is it from us in the Channel Islands, let's join Justin and
:14:13. > :14:14.Rebecca. They could